The Prisoner Of Stone/Part 1
Empath's personal journal. It is the annual celebration of Smurfy Friendship Day, a day when the Smurfs celebrate the friendship that formed when the various clans of Smurf had joined together as one to build the Smurf Village, becoming one people with a single place to call home. It also happens to be the birthday of the cherub known as Cupid, whose mission in the world is to spread love among all creatures so that they build families together. It is believed that Cupid had a hand in the creation of unity among the various Smurf clans to form a bond that cannot be broken, that they would first and foremost see each other as brothers and sisters of the same people known as the Smurfs, despite what clan they may have come from. It is a bond that has lasted for hundreds of years, and this smurf hopes that it will continue to endure for the next hundreds of years to come. Like Valentine's Day, Smurfy Friendship Day is celebrated with the creation of heart-shaped gifts, cards, and decorations that the Smurfs send to one another, either as a sign of friendship, or more recently, as a sign of romantic pursuit. While this smurf doesn't mind having to compete for the affections of Smurfette, this smurf has noticed that the boy Smurflings are also interested in Smurfette in the way that Papa Smurf says young boy Smurflings are interested in older female Smurfs, and that Sassette feels the same way about this smurf. It is rather flattering that Sassette seems to want this smurf to love her just as much as Smurfette does, even though the differences in age makes it impossible for this smurf to reciprocate her feelings in the same manner. This smurf hopes that she and one of the boy Smurflings would someday fall in love with each other and become soulmates. This particular Smurfy Friendship Day is the first one which Grandpa Smurf has celebrated in years since he left the village to embark on a 500-year journey throughout the entire world, only to return years later to see his son as a Papa Smurf of a whole village of Smurfs. This smurf hopes that this will be the best Smurfy Friendship Day that he will have with his grandchildren, and that it will make him feel as young as he did when he briefly turned back into Smurfling Pan at the time when he revisited Smurfling Island to restore power to the Neverstone. ----- Polaris Psyche went throughout the village on his usual security rounds and saw that every Smurf was busy helping to celebrate Smurfy Friendship Day, treating it as a birthday party to Cupid the cherub. Streamers with red and pink hearts were strung around the houses near the center of the village, while Smurfette worked together with Sassette and Grouchy to create more streamers with red and pink paper and a ball of string, while Empath was watching them. There was an atmosphere of joy as the Smurfs were singing the Smurf song while they were doing their work. "Oh, Empath, I have a feeling that this is going to be the best Smurfy Friendship Day we ever had," Smurfette said as she cut some more hearts. "It's hard to believe that the Smurf Village was formed on the same day that Cupid was born in the land that he came from, Smurfette," Empath said. "It's even harder to believe that Cupid would be so busy spreading love around the world on what is his birthday." "If you're somebody like Cupid, how could you think of not wanting to smurf the love that you have on the day that you're born?" Smurfette said. "This smurf only wishes to be like Cupid, to be able to spread joy and love wherever this smurf would go, Smurfette," Empath said. "Not that this smurf would want to be seen wearing wings and a diaper all the time." "Oh, I think that you'd look real cute as a cherub, Empath," Smurfette said. "You just have to not be ashamed of how you smurf as a Smurf, because that's what I think a true Smurf is whenever I look at the other Smurfs." "This smurf knows how much you like to look at the Smurfs...and if that's what you find appealing, then this smurf won't stop you from looking at them that way," Empath said. Sassette turned to look at Grouchy cutting hearts from a folded piece of paper. "Admit it, Grouchy, even you of all the Smurfs here like Smurfy Friendship Day," Sassette said. "I hate...to admit it," Grouchy said, smiling slightly as he unfolded the heart streamer he created. Polaris Psyche moved on from there to see the boy Smurflings hiding behind a house, each with a heart-shaped card in his hand. "Quick, while Smurfette is not looking," Nat said, as he peered around the corner and saw that the coast was clear. They rushed out of hiding and went the doorstep of Smurfette's house to lay down the cards they made for her. "Won't Smurfette be surprised when she smurfs these?" Slouchy said. "I think that she's going to like mine the best of all, Slouchy," Snappy said. "That's what you smurf every year, Snap," Nat said. "So I'm hopeful that she's going to smurf me the biggest kiss of all," Snappy said. "I can't help it if I happen to be her greatest admirer besides Empath." "You can keep dreaming of Smurfette smurfing in love with you until the cows smurf home, Snappy," Slouchy said. "You're still too young for her anyway." "All those years smurfing on Smurfling Island and all anybody can smurf us as is just young Smurflings," Snappy said. "If only we can someday be suddenly as old enough to be adult Smurfs as Empath." Polaris Psyche continued walking until he came to the speaking mushroom, from which Poet was doing a recital of his latest work in progress to a small crowd of Smurfs. "And thus, this Smurfy Friendship Day, our love we gladly give away." Poet said with some honest feeling behind the recital. "Well, how do you like it, Smurfs?" "Oh, it's so beautiful, it just smurfed me to tears," Weepy said as he was bawling his eyes out. "But that's what you always say to any poem that Poet recites to us, Weepy," Brainy said. "What can I say? I'm just a sentimental Smurf who can't help feeling the way I do," Weepy said. "Cupid should be so delighted with the poem when he hears it at the party, Grandpa Smurf," Papa Smurf said as he and his father stood around the mushroom to hear the recital. "Speaking of Cupid, we should get his present ready, Papa Smurf," Grandpa Smurf said. "I haven't forgotten about that, Grandpa Smurf," Papa Smurf said. "This year is going to be a special gift to the one who makes the gift that keeps smurfing all year round possible." "What time is he going to arrive?" Smurfette said as she walked with Empath and Sassette while carrying the hearts she had cut out. "Why, this afternoon, Smurfette," Papa Smurf answered. "It's going to be a smurfy celebration of his birthday as well as that of the entire village." "Well, we should be finished by then, although we still need to collect flowers for the centerpiece," Smurfette said as she turned to look at Sassette. "I'm the right little Smurfette for the job," Sassette said. "I'll get started on smurfing it right now." The four adult Smurfs watched as Sassette headed straight for the forest, eager to do her part for Smurfy Friendship Day. "Leaping lovebirds, I just love this day." Polaris Psyche joined the four adult Smurfs. "So how goes the day of smurfing over the entire village, my little Polaris?" Papa Smurf asked. "There is no sign of disruptive activity that this one needs to report to you, Papa Smurf," Polaris said. "It is fascinating to see that the village would bestow the honor of celebrating the birthday of an entity that is considered by your belief system to be the personification of love." "We wouldn't be Smurfs if we didn't smurf Cupid that particular honor, Polaris," Grandpa Smurf said. "After all, if it wasn't for him, the various clans of Smurf would still be fighting among themselves and this village wouldn't exist for you to be a part of." "It's simply amazing that the power of love could unite people that wouldn't smurf eye to eye with each other, Grandpa Smurf," Papa Smurf said. "Just think of the wonderful things that we have smurfed from all the clans smurfing together as one village since then." "This smurf couldn't imagine what the village would be without the various clans being a part of it, Papa Smurf," Empath said. "Tapper, Duncan, Biscotti, Painter, Culinary, Zipper, Miller...their unique family lines add something to the overall culture of the Smurfs. The art, the languages, the history, the food, the music..." "I feel so jealous that I don't belong to any of the clans of Smurf, Papa Smurf," Smurfette said. "Your own unique origin smurfs something to the culture of Smurfs as well, Smurfette," Papa Smurf said. "There's not many a Smurf who could say that they have been magically created to be a Smurf." "And so does our latest member of the village here, Papa Smurf," Grandpa Smurf said, looking at Polaris Psyche. "There aren't many who smurf from the village of Psychelia who would smurf all the way here to make this village their home." "This one is eternally grateful for the hospitality you have shown unto this one for being an exile from the community that this one was once part of, Papa Smurf," Polaris said. "If only this one could fully express that gratitude in a manner that you would adequately call love." "Just because you don't feel love doesn't mean you don't have the ability to show it, Polaris," Empath said. "This smurf knows how much you care for your fellow Smurfs, even if you are displeased with how they act at times towards you." "They are your people, Empath, and this one has great respect for the community that has accepted this one as a member of it, but this one cannot call what this one feels for any Smurf in this community to be love," Polaris said. "Smurfing from you, Polaris, I'm finding that very hard to believe," Smurfette said as she looked at Polaris with some scrutiny. ----- Tapper was in his tavern, getting it stocked with all the wine and liqueurs that Vino was bringing in, when Polaris paid him a visit. "Greetings, my fellow Polaris," he greeted. "What smurfs you here in my tavern as we're smurfing ready for the Smurfy Friendship Day party?" "This one is hoping to know what constitutes as true love among your own people, fellow Tapper, seeing how knowledgeable you are in spiritual things," Polaris said. "Well, you see, love is more than just an emotion that you feel...it's an action that smurfs from your heart how much you care for others besides yourself," Tapper said. "Paul the apostle smurfed to the Corinthians that if he were to smurf with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, he would become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And if he were to have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if he were to have all faith, so that he could remove mountains, but have not love, he would be nothing. And if he were to besmurf all his goods to feed the poor, and if he were to smurf his body to be burned, but have not love, it would profit him nothing." "So this Paul the apostle showed what true love is like not just by how he felt about others, but also by how he acted towards others," Polaris said, trying to figure out what Tapper was saying. "All of the apostles smurfed what true love is by their actions and not just by their words, for that is part of the faith that I believe in, Polaris," Tapper said. "James says that faith by itself, if it has not works, is a dead faith that cannot save anyone." "That would seem contradictory to the message of being saved by faith alone and not by works in your religion, unless the messages are written to two different people," Polaris said. "They are still part of the overall message of smurfing your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved, Polaris," Tapper said. "Anyway, Paul the apostle says that love is longsuffering and is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast itself, it doesn't get puffed up, it does not behave indecently, it does not seek its own, it is not easily provoked, and it smurfs no evil. Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; it covers all things, it believes all things, it hopes all things, it endures all things. And most importantly, love never fails, even when prophecies smurf to an end, even when tongues cease, and even when knowledge passes away." "Does the ability to love somebody other than yourself come naturally for you and your people, Tapper?" Polaris asked. "I could only wish that it does, my fellow Polaris, but alas, we're only creatures of fleshly passions, and sometimes those passions are for things that are very unsmurfy," Tapper said. "It has smurfed the Almighty years to smurf away my pride to smurf me to where I am today, and even now I still feel like I'm an unfinished work in the hands of the Master Potter who is still smurfing the clay vessel that I am into one that is fit for His purpose." "If only more of your fellow Smurfs would be so willing to surrender themselves unto a faith that has given you such great comfort and strength to best exemplify the positive qualities of being a Smurf," Polaris said. "All in good time, Polaris, all in good time," Tapper said. "The Almighty knows what He is smurfing with my fellow Smurfs to smurf them to the full knowledge of the truth, that He has no desire to see anyone perish, but to come to repentance and salvation through His only begotten Son. I would not want Him to rush through His work even if I wanted Him to, because only He knows what is in the hearts of men and Smurfs and only He knows the best way to smurf them to the valley of decision so they could smurf for themselves whether or not they want to be saved." Just then, Duncan came in through the door with Hefty and Tapper with barrels of sarsaparilla ale from the distillery. "I hope we have enough for the laddies to celebrate Smurfy Friendship Day with an annual toast there, Tapper," Duncan said. "There should be enough for everyone to enjoy, my fellow Duncan, as long as we don't oversmurf ourselves with too much ale like you, since very few Smurfs can drink like a McSmurf," Tapper said. "You busy trying to get Polaris to believe in this imaginary God of yours, Tapper?" Hefty asked. "I am simply trying to tell him about what true love is from what I smurf from my holy book, my fellow Hefty," Tapper said. "Whether he wants to believe in the Almighty or not, I leave that in God's capable hands." "I'm not afraid of this God, whether He's imaginary or not," Tuffy said. "If Polaris wants to become a believer in Him, I'd be happy for him." "I don't see why we need to believe in any imaginary God that we can't even see or hear," Hefty said. "If Polaris wants to believe in the same foolishness, it still wouldn't change the fact that he is a star-face in my smurfs." "Well, if you want to make a smurf of yourself with that kind of thinking, laddie, it wouldn't change that I'll love you enough as a brother to smurf out after you," Duncan said. "Thanks, Gutsy, but I can smurf out after myself, and I don't need a God to smurf out after me, either," Hefty said. "That's Duncan to you, Hefty," Duncan said. Tapper and Polaris watched as the three Smurfs headed into the cellar with the barrels. "It must seem frustrating to you that Hefty continues to belittle your faith in the Almighty, even to the point of refusing His gift of salvation, fellow Tapper," Polaris said. "Hefty is still a good Smurf at heart, despite his faults," Tapper said. "No matter what he thinks of the Almighty, it doesn't change the fact that he is still loved by the Almighty and still desired by Him to be part of His kingdom." ----- Meanwhile, Empath went to Greedy's kitchen to visit him and his crew while they were making food to eat at the party, with Greedy working on a big birthday cake for the Smurfs to enjoy. "What do you think of this cake that I'm smurfing for Smurfy Friendship Day, Empath?" Greedy asked. "I'm hoping that it's going to be big enough for every Smurf and Cupid to have a slice." "This smurf thinks that there will be enough left over for you to finish it off, Greedy," Empath said as he took a look at the cake in progress. "Well, it's been three years now, and I'm just wondering when you and Smurfette are going to smurf the question so that I can get started on smurfing a big wedding cake," Greedy said. "You mean when this smurf and Smurfette are going to be married, Greedy," Empath said, understanding what his friend meant. "Well, this smurf and Smurfette are still not at the point when either of us feel comfortable enough to be asking that important question yet." "Just thought I'd be asking you on this particular day, since Cupid will be smurfing by for his birthday party," Greedy said. "Frankly, though, I feel like I'm so in love with the food I smurf that others might ask me when I'm going to be married." "That would be a very short relationship for you and your 'marital partner', Greedy," Empath said. "Besides, this smurf can't see how one would be in love with food in the same way that one would be in love with Smurfette." "The truth be smurfed, sometimes when I dream of food, it smurfs me the same feeling like you you would smurf from a Smurfette dream, Empath," Greedy said. "I mean, it just smurfs me with all the same feelings that I would get from smurfing...well, from dreaming about smurfing those kind of moments with Smurfette." "This smurf seems to understand, Greedy," Empath said. "Though this smurf wishes that you wouldn't have a physical amorous attraction to food so that you would end up being lonely for the rest of your life, this smurf can see how much joy your talents and your desires bring into your life." "Well, you'd better think about marrying Smurfette soon or somebody else might smurf in and marry her instead of you...and who knows, it might end up being me," Greedy said before he chuckled and added, "if there's even a chance of that happening". Empath laughed. "This smurf has no fear of who Smurfette might end up marrying, Greedy, just as long as she is happy with who she chooses to marry in the long run." Smurf to Part 2 Category:Empath the Luckiest Smurf stories Category:The Prisoner Of Stone chapters